The invention is directed to a cross-country ski binding, especially a hiking ski including a Telemark binding. The binding includes a toe iron adapted to be mounted on the top of a ski. The toe iron includes cheeks and sole catches for accommodating and supporting the front part of the sole of a ski boot on the sides, front anal upper portions. A tension cable is adapted to be passed around the heel of the boot anal coupled to a tensioning mechanism for fixing the ski boot to the toe iron such that during cross-country skiing the boot heel and the heel of the skier's foot may be raised from the ski top. The tension cable has part replaced by a tension spring, and which co-operate for varying the effective cable length.
Such a binding has been known in which the tension spring is passed around the boot heel in the case of the known binding. A tensioning mechanism comprises a tightening lever which is disposed sideways with a mechanism. Means for varying the length of the tension cable, which mechanism comprises a screw bolt and a co-operating nut is provided between the lever mechanism and the tension spring.
The known binding has proven highly satisfactory for cross-country or touring skis. However, the arrangement anal configuration of the tensioning mechanism exhibits a certain drawback. Due to its low position just above the ski top, the mechanism is not readily accessible, above all in case of deep snow.
Furthermore, it is necessary with the known binding to adapt the heel of the boot to the tension spring which is to be passed thereabout, for instance in the form of a groove formed on the heel in which the tension spring must be placed before the binding can be locked.